The big doping scandal that kept many top riders out of the 2006 Tour de France is starting to unravel, and one of the most famous banned cyclists, Ivan Basso, could be back in the saddle by next weekend. Last week, a Madrid court put on hold on the use of certain evidence pending trials of the doctors and team officials are completed.

Tour de France chief Patrice Clerc said he considers Floyd Landis a cheater who has discredited cycling's showcase race. "For me, the sermon has been read. Landis did not win the Tour because he cheated," Clerc said in an interview with sports daily "L'Equipe" published Wednesday.

Alexandre Vinokourov of Kazakhstan won the 61st edition of the Spanish Vuelta on Sunday. Alejandro Valverde of Spain finished second and Andrey Kashechkin of Kazakhstan was third. Vinokourov started the 21st and final stage, won by Erik Zabel of Germany, leading Valverde by 1 minute, 12 seconds.

The doping case against former road cycling world champion Oscar Camenzind has been reopened. The cantonal, or state, court of Schwyz has ordered investigative magistrate Martin Eichenberg to reopen the case. The investigation temporarily was halted last December by a lower court because the origin of the EPO could not be established.

Seventeen of cycling's top teams asked the governing body to consider suspending Phonak from the Pro Tour following Floyd Landis' positive doping tests. The teams also said at a meeting Wednesday the International Cycling Union should study a similar ban on the Astana team.

Prosecutors have opened a criminal probe against a German doctor suspected of supplying performance-enhancing drugs to a Spanish sports physician at the center of a major doping scandal. Federal agents and local prosecutors searched the residence and the office of a German doctor, who was identified as Markus Choina, and seized "comprehensive evidence," officials said.

The owner of Floyd Landis' former cycling team will shut down operations at the end of the year, citing continuing doping issues within the sport and an inability to sell the team. Phonak decided to pull its sponsorship but was unable to find a buyer. It was to be replaced at the end of the season by iShares, but the deal was called off, owner Andy Rihs said Tuesday.

Embattled Tour de France champion Floyd Landis says he's been treated unfairly by cycling's governing body and can't properly defend himself against doping charges. The 30-year-old racer also told USA TODAY his biggest mistake was responding to media reports as they surfaced, giving the impression he was coming up with new excuses daily.

Floyd Landis was fired by his team and the Tour de France no longer considered him its champion Saturday after his second doping sample tested positive for higher-than-allowed levels of testosterone. The head of France's anti-doping commission said the samples contained synthetic testosterone, indicating that it came from an outside source.